Dear Santa

Hours later, Jack still had not arrived at the small apartment the two young men shared. Iggy had been frantically calling Jack every few minutes, but voicemail picked up automatically each time. Iggy had been forced to listen to the recording he and Jack had made a few months ago, his throat tightening and worried tears brimming his eyelids with each word. He was almost certain that Jack’s plane had crashed, or Jack had been kidnapped by gangbangers, or his taxi had crashed on the icy roads. Iggy’s bony fingers curled tightly around his cell phone and he clutched it closer to his face, words desperately pouring out of his mouth.

“Jack, please, pick up!” he exclaimed, his words rushing together like cars on a freeway. “Please, please, call me back as soon as you get this message.”

Iggy closed his phone, though he kept his fingers wrapped tightly around it. He stood up off the couch and walked across the living room, bending down to turn the television off. His mind was racing, and he could barely think straight. The only thing he could concentrate on was his darling Jack and all of the terrible things that could have happened.

Taking a deep breath, Iggy made his way into the bedroom, deciding that he might as well try to get some rest. Inside, he knew that he would not get a wink of sleep until Jack was safely home, or he had at least heard from him, but Iggy thought it might be worth the try. Dressed in his warm, flannel pajamas, Iggy crawled beneath the covers of the king-sized bed, wishing that Jack were there with him. Yawning, Iggy closed his eyes and leaned back against the pillows, his fingers still curled around his bright silver cell phone.



When Iggy woke up, pale sunlight was streaming through his window, falling across the spot on the bed that Iggy’s cat, Fauna, was cozily dozing on. Iggy blinked in confusion for a moment, vaguely aware that something was very wrong. It took only a moment for the answer to hit him like a brick to the face- Jack was still not home. Iggy flipped open his phone, hoping to find a missed call or a voicemail from Jack, explaining his absence. Instead, Iggy found a text message that had been sent only a few moments ago. He opened the message with bated breath, unsure of what to expect.

I’m so sorry, Ig, the message read. All flights to NYC have been cancelled because of the snow. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get there any time soon, but know that I’m trying my damned hardest. I’d call you, sweetheart, but this place is far too noisy and I haven’t the slightest hope of finding somewhere warm and quiet to speak with you. I love you, and I’ll try to be there soon.

Iggy’s heart clenched in his chest, and he tried desperately to hold back the tears that were already spilling down his cheeks. All he really wanted was to see Jack after months of separation. He didn’t think anyone understood the agony it caused him to be away from his boyfriend for even a day, but for months at a time? It was nothing short of torture. Knowing now that Jack was so incredibly close, but couldn’t get home, made it all the worse.

Iggy curled up in a ball, hugging his knees to his chest and burying his face against his legs. It just wasn’t fair! None of this was fair. Being away from the love of his life for weeks and weeks, Jack being trapped at an airport with hundreds of other people trying to get home to see their loved ones, none of this was fair, none of it! Iggy did not bother to hold back the tears. Instead, he let them fall freely. Tears dripped down his nose, landing on the red flannel of his pants and leaving a wet spot on his kneecaps. Iggy could not quite find his breath because of the sobs racking his small body. He let every tear he had been holding back for the past months fall down his cheeks, though he knew they wouldn’t bring Jack home to him. Iggy knew that Jack was trapped, and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it.